Iheanacho clinches Capital One Cup with Manchester City

Kelechi Iheanacho

Nigeria youngster, Kelechi Iheanacho, claimed a silverware on Sunday as Manchester City were crowned champions of the English Capital One Cup.

The Citizens defeated Liverpool on penalties to clinch their second League Cup trophy in three years at the illustrious Wembley Stadium.

Iheanacho, 19, has been one of City’s star performers in the competition – scoring against Crystal Palace and Hull City en route to the final.

The youngster, who has scored nine goals in just six starts for Manuel Pellegrini side, however didn’t feature in the final but was named amongst the substitute.

The game headed for extra time after Fernandinho early strike was cancelled by Philippe Coutinho in the 83rd minute.

With both teams unable to find the breakthrough after 120 minutes of open play, it was straight to the spot to decide the winner.

Second-choice goalkeeper, Willy Caballero, was selected ahead of Joe Hart for the game — as he has done throughout this competition — and saved three penalties in the shootout.

Yaya Toure slotted the decisive penalty into the corner to seal a 3 -1 shootout win and became the man for the big occasion again, having scored in both of City’s FA Cup and League Cup final victories in recent years.

It was Pellegrini’s third trophy in Manchester and the club’s fifth since they were taken over by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi royal family.

The Chilean was delighted to pick up another silverware and was even more pleased his gamble with Caballero paid off.

“We deserved to win the game, and we missed too many goals” the City manager said.

“We played better than Liverpool but I think if you tell me which way I prefer to win, I prefer to win this way.

“I prefer to lose a title than to lose my word, so Willy Caballero played tonight. I know some media were ready to criticise me if Willy made a mistake but I trust him so I am very happy to win the title for the players, the club, the fans and staff and for Willy, because he deserves it.”

His opposite number, Jurgen Klopp, was left disappointed and dejected to lose his first final in English football.

“I’m disappointed with the end, pleased with a lot of the things I saw in the game,” Klopp told Sky Sports.

“We conceded the goal but we tried everything, scored the goal … They had a few counter- attacks, we needed a bit of luck, were too open in some situations but we got back in the game.

“We had some situations, it’s unlucky, it’s one way to lose in a final, it doesn’t matter how.

“I don’t think we played as well as we could, nor did Man City. We shouldn’t have conceded the goal we did, it should not be a goal, everyone knows this.”